Evening Primrose Oil 1300 mg Ingredients & Drug Interactions
by Vitabase
What is this page for?
First and foremost: checking Evening Primrose Oil 1300 mg against your medications. The heart of this page is the interaction checker and the full interaction report — how this product’s ingredients may interact with prescription and over-the-counter medicines you may be taking.
Around that, we add a pharmacist’s high-level view of the product as a whole — what’s inside, the evidence for its stated use, how transparent the label is, and what safety data exists — so you can see the full picture in one place. It’s educational information from our licensed clinical databases and the clinical staff at HelloPharmacist — not medical advice — and we don’t sell or endorse products. Our editorial policy
Evening Primrose Oil 1300 mg is a dietary supplement by Vitabase with 5 active ingredients. Its ingredients are commonly taken for heart health, healthy cooking fat, skin moisturizing.Based on those ingredients, 308 medications have a known interaction with it, the most serious rated moderate. The ingredients most likely to interact are Evening Primrose seed Oil, Oleic Acid. Use the checker below to test your specific medication, or read the full HelloPharmacist Interaction Report.
Check Your Meds Against Evening Primrose Oil 1300 mg by Vitabase
Ask about any prescription or over-the-counter medication and we check it for interactions with Evening Primrose Oil 1300 mg by Vitabase — and tell you which ingredient is responsible.
AI summaries are generated from our interaction database for education only — always confirm with your pharmacist. How we use AI
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HelloPharmacist Scorecard of Evening Primrose Oil 1300 mg by Vitabase
Our pharmacy team’s full take, with four database checks built into the cards below — a summary of what is known, not a grade of the product itself.
What’s inside
Full disclosure
This softgel contains five active fatty acids: gamma-linolenic acid, oleic acid, palmitic acid, linoleic acid, and evening primrose seed oil itself. Together they make up the 1,300 mg dose.
The capsule shell and fill are gelatin, glycerin, and water—standard inactive ingredients that help deliver the oil.
Does it work?
Moderate evidence
The evidence for evening primrose in this product is mixed and often thin. Oleic acid, one of its components, is possibly effective for high cholesterol and heart disease risk based on preliminary work.
Evening primrose oil itself, however, shows limited promise: it's rated likely ineffective for breast pain (mastalgia) and possibly ineffective for asthma. For other uses listed—ADHD, acne, and a few others—we don't have enough reliable evidence to say whether it works.
The bottom line is that this product isn't well established for most conditions people buy it for.
How safe is it?
Well-documented data
Evening primrose oil is generally well tolerated over the short term, but long-term safety data are sparse. The most common side effects reported are digestive: abdominal pain, bloating, diarrhea, indigestion, gas, nausea, and vomiting.
Some people also report dizziness, headache, skin rash, or acne. The product is rated possibly safe in pregnancy and lactation, but because concentrated supplement doses haven't been well studied, the safety data advise caution and discussion with your doctor—food amounts of oleic acid and similar fats are fine, but this concentrated form is a different story.
Meds to double-check
Moderate interaction found
Before taking this product, check with your doctor or pharmacist if you're on blood thinners or antiplatelet drugs (like warfarin or aspirin) — there's a Moderate risk of increased bleeding. Also flag it if you take lithium, phenothiazine antipsychotics (like chlorpromazine), the HIV drug lopinavir/ritonavir, antidiabetes medications, or drugs processed through the liver enzyme CYP2C9 (a broad group that includes many pain relievers and blood pressure drugs).
The bottom line
Scorecard at a glanceFully disclosed formula with some supporting evidence behind its ingredients' uses. Moderate medication interactions have been identified, and safety information is well characterized.
Evening primrose oil is a reasonable choice if you're interested in its fatty acid content and willing to accept limited evidence of benefit, but it's not right for you if you take blood thinners, antipsychotics, lithium, or HIV medications—those need a conversation with your doctor or pharmacist first. If you're pregnant or breastfeeding, talk with your healthcare provider about whether this supplement makes sense for you.
Check your full medication list before you start.
Educational only — not medical advice; always confirm with your pharmacist. Our editorial policy · How we use AI
Assessment coverage: 2 of 5 active ingredients matched to our full ingredient reviews (monographs). Based on the product label dated Mar 23, 2012.
This Scorecard evaluates available label information, ingredient evidence, and known medication-safety considerations. It does not independently verify product identity, purity, potency, contamination, or manufacturing quality. How these ratings are computed
General information
Key facts about Evening Primrose Oil 1300 mg, straight from the product label.
Everything in this section is reproduced from the manufacturer’s own product label — it’s the label speaking, not HelloPharmacist. We show it so you can see exactly what the maker states; we don’t verify or endorse those statements.
Supplement Facts
The label details for Evening Primrose Oil 1300 mg by Vitabase, sourced from the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database.
Supplement Facts
| Ingredient | Amount | % DV |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 12 {Calories} | -- |
| Calories from Fat | 12 {Calories} | -- |
| Total Fat | 1.3 g | 2% |
| Gamma-Linolenic Acid | 117 mg | -- |
| Oleic Acid | 91 mg | -- |
| Palmitic Acid | 78 mg | -- |
| Linoleic Acid | 962 mg | -- |
| Evening Primrose seed Oil | 1300 mg | -- |
Other ingredients: Gelatin, Glycerin, Water
Tap any ingredient to jump to its full detail below.
These statements are the manufacturer’s wording, reproduced from the product label — the label is saying it, not HelloPharmacist. We don’t verify or endorse them.
Formulation
Contains No Added sugar, salt, dairy, yeast, wheat, corn, soy, preservatives, artificial colors or flavors.
Hexane Free
FDA Statement of Identity
DIETARY SUPPLEMENT
Formula
It is derived from the seeds of the Evening Primrose, a high source of Gamma-Linolenic Acid.
Our Evening Primrose Oil 1300 mg is 100% pure cold expeller pressed and Hexane Free.
Suggested/Recommended/Usage/Directions
Suggested Use: As a dietary supplement, adults take one (1) softgel capsule, two (2) to three (3) times daily with meals, or as directed by a health care professional.
Storage
Store in a cool, dry place and away from direct light.
Precautions
Keep out of reach of children.
General Statements
QUALITY AND POTENCY GUARANTEED. MADE IN THE U.S.A.
Seals/Symbols
Vb
Is this label outdated? Report a formula or label change and our pharmacy team will review it.
Evening Primrose Oil 1300 mg by Vitabase label
The label scan from the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database. Tap to enlarge.
Label images are published by the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database for the version of this product on file. Always read your actual product label.
View the full label (PDF)The Ingredients in Evening Primrose Oil 1300 mg by Vitabase
These are the 5 active ingredients this product is made of. Select any to open its full monograph.
Serving size1 Softgel(s) Dosage formSoftgel Capsule Amounts shown are per serving.
Most supplement products combine several ingredients, and a medication can interact with the product through any one of them. Each ingredient below shows whether it has known drug interactions.
Gamma-Linolenic Acid
Oleic Acid
Interacts with86 drugs
Oleic acid is a heart-healthy monounsaturated fat found mainly in olive oil, canola oil, avocados, and nuts. As part of a Mediterranean-style diet, it...
Oleic Acid monograph & interactionsPalmitic Acid
Linoleic Acid
Evening Primrose seed Oil
Interacts with233 drugs
Evening primrose oil is a seed oil rich in gamma-linolenic acid (GLA), an omega-6 fatty acid, that is popularly used for skin conditions, PMS, and bre...
Evening Primrose seed Oil monograph & interactionsOther (inactive) ingredients: Gelatin, Glycerin, Water. These complete the product’s ingredient list but are not active constituents.
Evening Primrose Oil 1300 mg by Vitabase Drug Interactions
HelloPharmacist Interaction Report
Vitabase Evening Primrose Oil 1300 mg can interact with medications through its evening primrose seed oil and oleic acid content.
The most serious interaction is a Moderate risk of increased bleeding with blood thinners and antiplatelet drugs (like warfarin or aspirin), because evening primrose contains gamma-linolenic acid, which preliminary evidence suggests can reduce how well blood clots form and lengthen bleeding time.
Read the full breakdown — every affected drug type, severity by severity
Other Moderate interactions affect lithium (evening primrose may lower its levels and reduce its effect), antipsychotics called phenothiazines (there's concern evening primrose might increase seizure risk when used together), and the HIV drug lopinavir/ritonavir, where a case report showed evening primrose raised drug levels. Evening primrose also has a Minor interaction with a broad group of drugs processed through a liver enzyme called CYP2C9, because one of its fatty acids may slow how your body clears them.
Oleic acid in this product carries a Moderate interaction with antidiabetes drugs—preliminary research hints it might strengthen their blood-sugar-lowering effect, so dosing could need adjustment. We could not check three other ingredients: gamma-linolenic acid, palmitic acid, and linoleic acid.
Run your exact medications through the tool on this page before you start.
Check your own medications below · Editorial policy · How we use AI
Want to check YOUR meds against Evening Primrose Oil 1300 mg?
Ask about interactions with your drugs in plain English — “Can I take it with lisinopril?” — and we find you the answer in seconds, ingredient by ingredient.
Go to the checkerIngredients driving the most interactions
Individual Drug Interactions
The ingredients in Evening Primrose Oil 1300 mg interact with 308 drugs. Click any drug to see the details.
2 of the 5 ingredients in Evening Primrose Oil 1300 mg interact with drugs. Each result below shows which ingredient is responsible. Evening Primrose seed Oil Oleic Acid
AbciximabReoPro
How Abciximab interacts with Evening Primrose Oil 1300 mg — through 1 ingredient. Tap an ingredient for the detail:
Evening Primrose Seed OilAnticoagulant/antiplatelet Drugs Moderate
Interaction Summary
Theoretically, evening primrose oil may increase the risk of bleeding if used with anticoagulant or antiplatelet drugs.
Read the full Evening Primrose Seed Oil + Abciximab interactionAbrocitinibCibinqo
How Abrocitinib interacts with Evening Primrose Oil 1300 mg — through 1 ingredient. Tap an ingredient for the detail:
Evening Primrose Seed OilCytochrome P450 2c9 (cyp2c9) Substrates, Anticoagulant/antiplatelet Drugs Moderate
Interaction Summary
Theoretically, evening primrose may increase the levels and clinical effects of CYP2C9 substrates.
Read the full Evening Primrose Seed Oil + Abrocitinib interactionAcarboseGlucobay, Prandase, Precose
How Acarbose interacts with Evening Primrose Oil 1300 mg — through 1 ingredient. Tap an ingredient for the detail:
Oleic AcidAntidiabetes Drugs Moderate
Interaction Summary
Theoretically, oleic acid might increase the effects of antidiabetes drugs.
Read the full Oleic Acid + Acarbose interactionAcenocoumarolSintrom
How Acenocoumarol interacts with Evening Primrose Oil 1300 mg — through 1 ingredient. Tap an ingredient for the detail:
Evening Primrose Seed OilAnticoagulant/antiplatelet Drugs Moderate
Interaction Summary
Theoretically, evening primrose oil may increase the risk of bleeding if used with anticoagulant or antiplatelet drugs.
Read the full Evening Primrose Seed Oil + Acenocoumarol interactionAcepromazineAtravet
How Acepromazine interacts with Evening Primrose Oil 1300 mg — through 1 ingredient. Tap an ingredient for the detail:
Evening Primrose Seed OilPhenothiazines Moderate
Interaction Summary
Theoretically, taking evening primrose oil with phenothiazines might increase the risk of convulsions.
Read the full Evening Primrose Seed Oil + Acepromazine interactionAcetaminophen, AspirinGemnisyn
How Acetaminophen, Aspirin interacts with Evening Primrose Oil 1300 mg — through 1 ingredient. Tap an ingredient for the detail:
Evening Primrose Seed OilAnticoagulant/antiplatelet Drugs Moderate
Interaction Summary
Theoretically, evening primrose oil may increase the risk of bleeding if used with anticoagulant or antiplatelet drugs.
Read the full Evening Primrose Seed Oil + Acetaminophen, Aspirin interactionAcetaminophen, Aspirin, CaffeineExcedrin, Excedrin Extra Strength, Excedrin Migraine
How Acetaminophen, Aspirin, Caffeine interacts with Evening Primrose Oil 1300 mg — through 1 ingredient. Tap an ingredient for the detail:
Evening Primrose Seed OilAnticoagulant/antiplatelet Drugs Moderate
Interaction Summary
Theoretically, evening primrose oil may increase the risk of bleeding if used with anticoagulant or antiplatelet drugs.
Read the full Evening Primrose Seed Oil + Acetaminophen, Aspirin, Caffeine interactionAcetaminophen, IbuprofenCombogesic
How Acetaminophen, Ibuprofen interacts with Evening Primrose Oil 1300 mg — through 1 ingredient. Tap an ingredient for the detail:
Evening Primrose Seed OilCytochrome P450 2c9 (cyp2c9) Substrates, Anticoagulant/antiplatelet Drugs Moderate
Interaction Summary
Theoretically, evening primrose may increase the levels and clinical effects of CYP2C9 substrates.
Read the full Evening Primrose Seed Oil + Acetaminophen, Ibuprofen interactionAcetohexamideDymelor
How Acetohexamide interacts with Evening Primrose Oil 1300 mg — through 1 ingredient. Tap an ingredient for the detail:
Oleic AcidAntidiabetes Drugs Moderate
Interaction Summary
Theoretically, oleic acid might increase the effects of antidiabetes drugs.
Read the full Oleic Acid + Acetohexamide interactionAcetylsalicylic AcidEntrophen
How Acetylsalicylic Acid interacts with Evening Primrose Oil 1300 mg — through 1 ingredient. Tap an ingredient for the detail:
Evening Primrose Seed OilAnticoagulant/antiplatelet Drugs Moderate
Interaction Summary
Theoretically, evening primrose oil may increase the risk of bleeding if used with anticoagulant or antiplatelet drugs.
Read the full Evening Primrose Seed Oil + Acetylsalicylic Acid interactionAlbiglutideTanzeum
How Albiglutide interacts with Evening Primrose Oil 1300 mg — through 1 ingredient. Tap an ingredient for the detail:
Oleic AcidAntidiabetes Drugs Moderate
Interaction Summary
Theoretically, oleic acid might increase the effects of antidiabetes drugs.
Read the full Oleic Acid + Albiglutide interactionAlogliptinNesina
How Alogliptin interacts with Evening Primrose Oil 1300 mg — through 1 ingredient. Tap an ingredient for the detail:
Oleic AcidAntidiabetes Drugs Moderate
Interaction Summary
Theoretically, oleic acid might increase the effects of antidiabetes drugs.
Read the full Oleic Acid + Alogliptin interactionAlogliptin, MetforminKazano
How Alogliptin, Metformin interacts with Evening Primrose Oil 1300 mg — through 1 ingredient. Tap an ingredient for the detail:
Oleic AcidAntidiabetes Drugs Moderate
Interaction Summary
Theoretically, oleic acid might increase the effects of antidiabetes drugs.
Read the full Oleic Acid + Alogliptin, Metformin interactionAlogliptin, PioglitazoneOseni
How Alogliptin, Pioglitazone interacts with Evening Primrose Oil 1300 mg — through 1 ingredient. Tap an ingredient for the detail:
Oleic AcidAntidiabetes Drugs Moderate
Interaction Summary
Theoretically, oleic acid might increase the effects of antidiabetes drugs.
Read the full Oleic Acid + Alogliptin, Pioglitazone interactionAlteplase, TpaActilyse, Activase
How Alteplase, Tpa interacts with Evening Primrose Oil 1300 mg — through 1 ingredient. Tap an ingredient for the detail:
Evening Primrose Seed OilAnticoagulant/antiplatelet Drugs Moderate
Interaction Summary
Theoretically, evening primrose oil may increase the risk of bleeding if used with anticoagulant or antiplatelet drugs.
Read the full Evening Primrose Seed Oil + Alteplase, Tpa interactionAluminum Hydroxide, Aspirin, Codeine Phosphate, Magnesium HydroxideAscriptin Codeine #2
How Aluminum Hydroxide, Aspirin, Codeine Phosphate, Magnesium Hydroxide interacts with Evening Primrose Oil 1300 mg — through 1 ingredient. Tap an ingredient for the detail:
Evening Primrose Seed OilAnticoagulant/antiplatelet Drugs Moderate
Interaction Summary
Theoretically, evening primrose oil may increase the risk of bleeding if used with anticoagulant or antiplatelet drugs.
Read the full Evening Primrose Seed Oil + Aluminum Hydroxide, Aspirin, Codeine Phosphate, Magnesium Hydroxide interactionAluminum Hydroxide, Aspirin, Magnesium HydroxideAscriptin
How Aluminum Hydroxide, Aspirin, Magnesium Hydroxide interacts with Evening Primrose Oil 1300 mg — through 1 ingredient. Tap an ingredient for the detail:
Evening Primrose Seed OilAnticoagulant/antiplatelet Drugs Moderate
Interaction Summary
Theoretically, evening primrose oil may increase the risk of bleeding if used with anticoagulant or antiplatelet drugs.
Read the full Evening Primrose Seed Oil + Aluminum Hydroxide, Aspirin, Magnesium Hydroxide interactionAmitriptyline, PerphenazineEtrafon, Etrafon-A, Etrafon-Forte, Triavil
How Amitriptyline, Perphenazine interacts with Evening Primrose Oil 1300 mg — through 1 ingredient. Tap an ingredient for the detail:
Evening Primrose Seed OilCytochrome P450 2c9 (cyp2c9) Substrates, Phenothiazines Moderate
Interaction Summary
Theoretically, evening primrose may increase the levels and clinical effects of CYP2C9 substrates.
Read the full Evening Primrose Seed Oil + Amitriptyline, Perphenazine interactionAnacaulase-bcdbNexoBrid
How Anacaulase-bcdb interacts with Evening Primrose Oil 1300 mg — through 1 ingredient. Tap an ingredient for the detail:
Evening Primrose Seed OilAnticoagulant/antiplatelet Drugs Moderate
Interaction Summary
Theoretically, evening primrose oil may increase the risk of bleeding if used with anticoagulant or antiplatelet drugs.
Read the full Evening Primrose Seed Oil + Anacaulase-bcdb interactionAnagrelideAgrylin
How Anagrelide interacts with Evening Primrose Oil 1300 mg — through 1 ingredient. Tap an ingredient for the detail:
Evening Primrose Seed OilAnticoagulant/antiplatelet Drugs Moderate
Interaction Summary
Theoretically, evening primrose oil may increase the risk of bleeding if used with anticoagulant or antiplatelet drugs.
Read the full Evening Primrose Seed Oil + Anagrelide interactionAnisindioneMiradon
How Anisindione interacts with Evening Primrose Oil 1300 mg — through 1 ingredient. Tap an ingredient for the detail:
Evening Primrose Seed OilAnticoagulant/antiplatelet Drugs Moderate
Interaction Summary
Theoretically, evening primrose oil may increase the risk of bleeding if used with anticoagulant or antiplatelet drugs.
Read the full Evening Primrose Seed Oil + Anisindione interactionAntidiabetes, Dipeptidyl Peptidase-4 (dpp-iv) InhibitorGlyxambi
How Antidiabetes, Dipeptidyl Peptidase-4 (dpp-iv) Inhibitor interacts with Evening Primrose Oil 1300 mg — through 1 ingredient. Tap an ingredient for the detail:
Oleic AcidAntidiabetes Drugs Moderate
Interaction Summary
Theoretically, oleic acid might increase the effects of antidiabetes drugs.
Read the full Oleic Acid + Antidiabetes, Dipeptidyl Peptidase-4 (dpp-iv) Inhibitor interactionAntithrombin IiiThrombate III
How Antithrombin Iii interacts with Evening Primrose Oil 1300 mg — through 1 ingredient. Tap an ingredient for the detail:
Evening Primrose Seed OilAnticoagulant/antiplatelet Drugs Moderate
Interaction Summary
Theoretically, evening primrose oil may increase the risk of bleeding if used with anticoagulant or antiplatelet drugs.
Read the full Evening Primrose Seed Oil + Antithrombin Iii interactionApixabanEliquis
How Apixaban interacts with Evening Primrose Oil 1300 mg — through 1 ingredient. Tap an ingredient for the detail:
Evening Primrose Seed OilAnticoagulant/antiplatelet Drugs Moderate
Interaction Summary
Theoretically, evening primrose oil may increase the risk of bleeding if used with anticoagulant or antiplatelet drugs.
Read the full Evening Primrose Seed Oil + Apixaban interactionArgatrobanArgatroban
How Argatroban interacts with Evening Primrose Oil 1300 mg — through 1 ingredient. Tap an ingredient for the detail:
Evening Primrose Seed OilAnticoagulant/antiplatelet Drugs Moderate
Interaction Summary
Theoretically, evening primrose oil may increase the risk of bleeding if used with anticoagulant or antiplatelet drugs.
Read the full Evening Primrose Seed Oil + Argatroban interactionAspirinAngettes 75, ASA, Asaphen, Aspirin, Caprin, Cartia +8 more
How Aspirin interacts with Evening Primrose Oil 1300 mg — through 1 ingredient. Tap an ingredient for the detail:
Evening Primrose Seed OilAnticoagulant/antiplatelet Drugs Moderate
Interaction Summary
Theoretically, evening primrose oil may increase the risk of bleeding if used with anticoagulant or antiplatelet drugs.
Read the full Evening Primrose Seed Oil + Aspirin interactionAspirin, Aluminum Hydroxide, Codeine Phosphate, Magnesium HydroxideAscriptin Codeine #3
How Aspirin, Aluminum Hydroxide, Codeine Phosphate, Magnesium Hydroxide interacts with Evening Primrose Oil 1300 mg — through 1 ingredient. Tap an ingredient for the detail:
Evening Primrose Seed OilAnticoagulant/antiplatelet Drugs Moderate
Interaction Summary
Theoretically, evening primrose oil may increase the risk of bleeding if used with anticoagulant or antiplatelet drugs.
Read the full Evening Primrose Seed Oil + Aspirin, Aluminum Hydroxide, Codeine Phosphate, Magnesium Hydroxide interactionAspirin, ButalbitalAxotal
How Aspirin, Butalbital interacts with Evening Primrose Oil 1300 mg — through 1 ingredient. Tap an ingredient for the detail:
Evening Primrose Seed OilAnticoagulant/antiplatelet Drugs Moderate
Interaction Summary
Theoretically, evening primrose oil may increase the risk of bleeding if used with anticoagulant or antiplatelet drugs.
Read the full Evening Primrose Seed Oil + Aspirin, Butalbital interactionAspirin, Butalbital, CaffeineFiorinal
How Aspirin, Butalbital, Caffeine interacts with Evening Primrose Oil 1300 mg — through 1 ingredient. Tap an ingredient for the detail:
Evening Primrose Seed OilAnticoagulant/antiplatelet Drugs Moderate
Interaction Summary
Theoretically, evening primrose oil may increase the risk of bleeding if used with anticoagulant or antiplatelet drugs.
Read the full Evening Primrose Seed Oil + Aspirin, Butalbital, Caffeine interactionAspirin, Butalbital, Caffeine, Codeine PhosphateFiorinal w/ Codeine
How Aspirin, Butalbital, Caffeine, Codeine Phosphate interacts with Evening Primrose Oil 1300 mg — through 1 ingredient. Tap an ingredient for the detail:
Evening Primrose Seed OilAnticoagulant/antiplatelet Drugs Moderate
Interaction Summary
Theoretically, evening primrose oil may increase the risk of bleeding if used with anticoagulant or antiplatelet drugs.
Read the full Evening Primrose Seed Oil + Aspirin, Butalbital, Caffeine, Codeine Phosphate interactionEach ingredient & the kinds of drugs it affects
For each ingredient in Evening Primrose Oil 1300 mg with known interactions, here are the types of medications they can affect. Open any type for the detail — or search your exact drug in the checker above.
Evening Primrose seed Oil
Anticoagulant/Antiplatelet Drugs
Theoretically, evening primrose oil may increase the risk of bleeding if used with anticoagulant or antiplatelet drugs.
Evening primrose oil contains gamma linolenic acid (GLA). There is preliminary clinical evidence that GLA can reduce platelet aggregation and prolong bleeding time.
Lithium
Theoretically, concomitant use of lithium with evening primrose oil might decrease lithium levels and effects.
In a case report, a patient on a stable dose of lithium for 10 years experienced a reduction in lithium levels after taking evening primrose oil 500 mg daily. Baseline levels were 0.69 mmol/L, which decreased to 0.37 mmol/L after 2 months and 0.23 mmol/L after 3 months of use. Lithium levels increased within 6 weeks of discontinuing evening primrose oil, to 0.73 mmol/L; no clinical effects were noted.
Lopinavir/Ritonavir (Kaletra)
Theoretically, evening primrose oil might increase the levels and effects of lopinavir.
In a case report, an HIV patient who took evening primrose oil (Efamol) along with lopinavir/ritonavir experienced an increase in serum levels of lopinavir to 15.2 mg/L. Six weeks after discontinuing evening primrose oil, levels of lopinavir returned to the normal range of 5-10 mg/L. When re-challenged with evening primrose oil for a week, the patient's lopinavir levels increased from 6.69 to 8.11 mg/L. It is suspected that evening primrose oil increases levels of lopinavir by inhibiting cytochrome P450 3A4 (CYP3A4), which metabolizes lopinavir. However, this effect has not been reported in other research.
Phenothiazines
Theoretically, taking evening primrose oil with phenothiazines might increase the risk of convulsions.
Evening primrose oil contains gamma-linolenic acid (GLA). There is some concern that taking supplements containing GLA might cause seizures, or lower the seizure threshold, when taken with phenothiazines. In one report, three patients with schizophrenia who had received phenothiazines developed EEG changes suggestive of temporal lobe epilepsy after starting treatment with GLA, although none experienced an actual seizure. In another report, two patients with schizophrenia who were stabilized on phenothiazines developed seizures when evening primrose oil 4 grams daily was added. One of these patients had a prior history of seizures. It is unclear whether evening primrose oil had any additive epileptogenic effects with the phenothiazines; there is no evidence that taking evening primrose oil alone causes seizures.
Cytochrome P450 2C9 (Cyp2C9) Substrates
Theoretically, evening primrose may increase the levels and clinical effects of CYP2C9 substrates.
In vitro research shows that linoleic acid, a constituent of evening primrose oil, inhibits CYP2C9.
Oleic Acid
Antidiabetes Drugs
Theoretically, oleic acid might increase the effects of antidiabetes drugs. Preliminary clinical research in patients with type 2 diabetes taking oral hypoglycemic drugs shows that eating a diet rich in oleic acid from olive oil decreases fasting blood glucose levels when compared to eating a diet rich in linoleic acid from sunflower oil. It is unknown if taking oleic acid supplements would have this effect or if this change is clinically significant. Until more is known, use caution. Dose adjustment may be necessary. Some antidiabetes drugs include glimepiride (Amaryl), glyburide (DiaBeta, Glynase PresTab, Micronase), insulin, metformin (Glucophage), pioglitazone (Actos), rosiglitazone (Avandia), and others.
Brand information
Manufacturer and brand details for Evening Primrose Oil 1300 mg, from the product label.
Evening Primrose Oil 1300 mg by Vitabase: Common Questions
Does Evening Primrose Oil 1300 mg by Vitabase interact with any medications?
How can one product interact with so many drugs?
Where does this information come from?
What exactly is in this Evening Primrose Oil?
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Is it safe to take during pregnancy?
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Written and reviewed by the HelloPharmacist editorial staff. Our editorial policy
Not sure if Evening Primrose Oil 1300 mg is safe with your meds?
Our pharmacists answer your medication & supplement questions — free.
Label information is sourced from the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database and reflects the product version on file; always read your actual product label. This page is for education only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Confirm with your pharmacist or doctor before combining supplements and medications.
The Full Monographs Behind Evening Primrose Oil 1300 mg’s Ingredients
Every ingredient we hold a full HelloPharmacist monograph for — uses, evidence, safety, and the complete interaction list.
Oleic Acid
Interacts with 86 drugsOleic acid is a heart-healthy monounsaturated fat found mainly in olive oil, canola oil, avocados, and nuts. As part of a Mediterranean-style diet, it is widely viewed as a healthier replace...
Read the full Oleic Acid monograph → Herb & supplement monographEvening Primrose
Interacts with 233 drugsEvening primrose oil is a seed oil rich in gamma-linolenic acid (GLA), an omega-6 fatty acid, that is popularly used for skin conditions, PMS, and breast pain. The evidence behind most of th...
Read the full Evening Primrose monograph →Sources & How We Checked
Evening Primrose Oil 1300 mg's label data comes from the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database; the ingredient interaction data is from the Natural Medicines database, reviewed by our pharmacists.
- NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database (DSLD) — The official product label on file for this supplement.
- Natural Medicines (Therapeutic Research Center) — Evidence-graded clinical reference behind the ingredient interaction data.
Content is written and reviewed by licensed HelloPharmacist pharmacists. See our data sources and editorial standards for how this information is built and checked.
The 52 references behind this product’s interaction data
Every citation that drives the interaction findings for this product’s ingredients, from the evidence-graded Natural Medicines (TRC Healthcare) database. Open an ingredient to browse its citations — links open the study on PubMed or the publisher’s site.
Oleic Acid 19 references
- Madigan C, Ryan M, Owens D, et al. Dietary unsaturated fatty acids in type 2 diabetes: higher levels of postprandial lipoprotein on a linoleic acid-rich sunflower oil diet compared with an oleic acid-rich olive oil diet. Diabetes Care 2000;23:1472-7. PubMed
- Gillingham, L. G., Gustafson, J. A., Han, S. Y., Jassal, D. S., and Jones, P. J. High-oleic rapeseed (canola) and flaxseed oils modulate serum lipids and inflammatory biomarkers in hypercholesterolaemic subjects. Br J Nutr 2011;105(3):417-427. PubMed
- Jones PJ, Senanayake VK, Pu S, Jenkins DJ, Connelly PW, Lamarche B, Couture P, Charest A, Baril-Gravel L, West SG, Liu X, Fleming JA, McCrea CE, Kris-Etherton PM. DHA-enriched high-oleic acid canola oil improves lipid profile and lowers predicted cardiova
- Cater, N. B., Heller, H. J., and Denke, M. A. Comparison of the effects of medium-chain triacylglycerols, palm oil, and high oleic acid sunflower oil on plasma triacylglycerol fatty acids and lipid and lipoprotein concentrations in humans. Am.J Clin.Nutr PubMed
- Mozaffarian D, Clarke R. Quantitative effects on cardiovascular risk factors and coronary heart disease risk of replacing partially hydrogenated vegetable oils with other fats and oils. Eur J Clin Nutr. 2009;63(Suppl 2):S22-33. PubMed
- Cao Y, Hou L, Wang W. Dietary total fat and fatty acids intake, serum fatty acids and risk of breast cancer: A meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies. Int J Cancer. 2016;138(8):1894-904. doi: 10.1002/ijc.29938. PubMed
- FDA completes review of qualified health claim petition for oleic acid and the risk of coronary heart disease. November 2018. Available at: www.fda.gov/Food/NewsEvents/ConstituentUpdates/ucm624758.htm. Accessed January 25, 2019.
- Liu X, Kris-Etherton PM, West SG, et al. Effects of canola and high-oleic-acid canola oils on abdominal fat mass in individuals with central obesity. Obesity. 2016;24(11):2261-2268. PubMed
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